I F-ing love a gyro. When I worked at my last school, we did our shows at the MAC which is dangerously close to this little hole in the wall Greek restaurant. I had actually never (whaaaaat???) eaten a gyro (and I still pronounced it with a j sound…shhhh…), but my friend Emily raved about it, and I have to tell you, I have not stopped thinking about that damn gyro ever since.

We’re talking years here people. When I love food, I don’t forget about it. Trust me, I still talk about this Italian restaurant I ate at in London when I was 14. I can’t remember to return pretty much any emails, but I can remember the meal I ate 5 zillion years ago that was “life changing”. It’s a gift. You know, like how Karen in Mean Girls can tell the weather.

Okay, so we all know I have a bit of a burger problem, yes? I have actually heard my man food and meat loving husband utter the words “burgers….again?”. Yes. Once June hits (okay…May…), burgers multiple times a week are not only normal, but expected. I mean, sometimes I change it up. With a hot dog.

But this was not a “burgers…again?” moment. This was one of those getting feisty and fighting over the leftovers all week long moments. I’m serious. It gets crazy over here. Like a race to the fridge to claim the good leftovers. We’re both very considerate and grown up human beings.

Okay, let’s discuss what makes these burgers so flippin fantastic. First of all, they are half lamb, half beef. Lamb is delicious. If you haven’t gotten on board yet, I highly suggest it. I find lamb to be one of the juiciest, most tender and flavorful meats. Well, this has a lot to do with the high fat/calorie content. Now, if you don’t care about that sort of thing, feel free to use all lamb. That would be delicious. While I don’t count calories, or any macronutrients, or even really anything past the #8 (dancer joke…see what I did there? 😉 ), I still do think about that sort of thing, and I would prefer to get all the flavor, but keep it a little on the leaner side.

That being said, in the name of “health”, obviously I had to stuff them full of freshly crumbled feta and smother them with creamy tzaziki because…obviously? Oh, and you can totally use a bun. I never do. I buy them for photos. It’s pretty silly. But these babies looked gorgeous on their own with just some fresh greens, the grilled onions, black olives, green onion and fresh parsley. There was so much going on, I just wanted to show them off for exactly what they were. I can tell you that these will definitely be making their way back into my burger rotation, and they will take your next grill night not just to the next level, but like a lot of levels up. 😉

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the burgers. Mix until just combined. Form into burger patties and grill to desired doneness, about 3-5 minutes per side. Lamb, like beef, does not need to be cooked well done, but do make sure it reaches 160 for food safety.

Serve over fresh greens (or on tops of your favorite buns) and grilled onions. Top with tzatziki, parsley, olives and onion. Leftovers may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. Recipe and all opinions are my own.

You guys, it is hot. I’m in Portland and it’s supposed to be perfect weather all summer long, but instead there is a heat wave, and it’s in the 90s which wouldn’t even be bad except for the fact that we live upstairs and there is no ac. It is gross. I want to be swimming in a pool with a margarita in hand eating burgers for dinner. Can we make that happen?

Before I left for Portland, I’m pretty sure we ate at least 2 hamburgers a week for about a month. I wish I was kidding. I never got sick of them because there are 5 billion combinations so it always feels like something new!

I’m pretty bad about waiting to decide what to make until the last minute, then I have to bat my eyelashes and beg Steve to go to the store and pick up whatever we need. Luckily, there is a Fresh & Easy right around the corner that we can get to in no time, and makes it incredibly easy to pick up last minute items. Their store brand fresh&easy is all natural ingredients, and super affordable, so it’s a win, win. With the last minute idea to make the burgers, I sent Steve to the store to get fresh&easy buns and guacamole.

The burgers came out AWESOME! Bold and spicy, and the fresh&easy guacamole was AWESOME!! The roasted green chiles and so much flavor and also help the burgers not to dry out (which can easily happen when using lower fat meat), and the grilled onions on top are like the icing on the cake!

Fresh & Easy has tons of options for summer grilling, and really is insanely easy to get in and out of quickly (think the oposite of going through Walmart, but still with great prices), and I even have a coupon for you! Click here to receive a $5 off coupon (expires 7/7/13).

Half roasted green chiles. Finely chop 1/2 of one of your chiles and slice the rest.

In a medium bowl, combine finely chopped green chile, ground beef, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper until ingredients are just incorporated. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Press your thumb down into the center of each patty to create a small indent.

Grill over medium heat until burgers have reached desired doneness, about 5 minutes each side. Simultaneously grill the onion slices until browned. This will also take about 5 minutes on each side.

You can take a moment and judge my insanely long title, per usual. Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I’m sure you think I’ve gone off the deep end. When I told my husband what I was making for dinner last week, he raised an eyebrow, and gave me a look that can only be described as “WTF”, then he said “You’re really on a burger kick, aren’t you?”

Guilty. And I guess after making countless burgers, you have to do something a little weird and put fruit inside. Or at least I do.

I’m pretty much obsessed with anything sweet and savory. I used to think it was weird, but ever since people starting salting things (I soooo judged that salted caramel hot chocolate at the bux for a good 2 weeks), I haven’t tired of the depth of flavor adding an unexpected taste or ingredient can bring to your dish.

Did anyone watch that season of Top Chef with the watermelon gorgonzola salad? I don’t remember who made it, but I remember that he tried something unique, something most people would never do. I remember Tom Colicchio hated it, and said it was totally wrong, but Chef Tom ain’t got nothin’ on these burgers. 😉

I’ve always loved the fig/gorgonzola combo, so I stuffed them inside my burger, then I wrapped that sucker in center cut bacon to add smokiness and some extra bold, salty flavor–wrapped around where it can stand out and be an attention whore, not tucked inside with the lesser-known ingredients. Then to bring it all together, and add an extra hint of sweetness, I reduced some balsamic vinegar on the stove until it was thick, syrupy and sweet. Careful, the fumes are INTENSE (think vinegar straight up your nose), but the end result is totally worth it. A unique burger that you won’t find at you local burger joint, with rich depth of flavor, yet still deceptively simple and easy to put together. There is nothing like it.

Begin with the balsamic glaze by pouring balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-medium high to simmer. Stir occasionally until sauce has reached desired thickness. This took me about 30 minutes for a very syrupy glaze. 20-30 minutes should be all you need. Once desired consistency is reached, remove from heat immediately.

In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, figs, gorgonzola cheese, salt and pepper until ingredients are just incorporated. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Press your thumb down into the center of each patty to create a small indent. Wrap each burger with a slice of bacon.

Grill over medium heat beginning with the edge of the bacon side facing down until burgers have reached desired doneness, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer to buns and add lettuce and tomato. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

My mind has officially checked out into summer vacation land. Technically, I have 2 more days of classes before it becomes official, but mentally I am….so….there. And let’s face it, I’ve been there for a couple of weeks now.

There is something about summer when you work on the school calendar. I still work hard over the summer, but it all seems like so much FUN. Maybe it’s knowing it’s all only temporary, and eventually you will all go back to “real life”, but I just love it. Despite the hear here in Phoenix, it’s probably my favorite time of year.

It seems like no matter what I have on my meal plan these days, nothing sounds better than grilling up some burgers and eating dinner by the pool. It just makes my heart happy. Not to mention the flavor combinations for burgers are pretty much endless, leaving you with burger after burger recipe. Sorry I’m not sorry.

I do have a pretty sweet side dish coming your way later this week that you can eat along side these burgers during your Memorial Day festivities.

Simple and easy spicy chipotle cheeseburgers are a perfect way to kick up your summer grilling!

Ingredients

For the burgers:

1 lb 96% lean ground beef (or lean ground turkey)

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

pinch salt

For the creamy chipotle spread:

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

Toppings/to put together the burger:

Whole grain buns (whole wheat, brown rice, etc.)

Sliced roma tomato

Lettuce

Extra sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

To make the burgers, combine beef, chopped chipotle pepper and salt in a large bowl. Create 4 evenly sized patties. Gently press each patty down in the center with your thumb to create an indent--this promotes even cooking. Grill to desired doneness, about 4-5 minutes per side.

To make the sauce, blend Greek yogurt and chipotle pepper in a food processor or blender until well combined.

To assemble burgers, spread sauce onto the top side of the bun. Top bottom half with lettuce, burger, cheese and tomato slices (or whatever you'd like--it's your burger!) and finish off with the top half of the bun. Serve immediately. Leftover meat patties can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Healthy, vegan, gluten-free and full of flavor, these sun-dried tomato & basil white bean burgers taste like pizza in a burger! So delicious even meat eaters will crave them.

You guys, it is suddenly HOT here in Phoenix. Like, over 100* and I’m wondering what the H happened to spring, and I want a do-over kind of hot. Gross.

Somehow I have all these fond memories of last summer feeling all “I love summer! Summer is awesome!” mixed in with “Why did I ever make the CHOICE to run when it is 100* at 5am?!?! *&$#*&!!!”

Oh yeah, it’s because summer means swimming and barbecuing and an excuse to eat burgers every single night while you lounge by the pool with a margarita in hand. Now that sounds like something I remember loving.

Well it’s only the beginning of May, and since the temps began to sore, I have made an embarrassing amount of burgers. Like, you will probably get tired of my 9 billion burger recipes by mid June, but I just can’t stop.

I end up making a lot of meat for dinner because, well, I live with a boy, and most boys love meat. Most boys probably also don’t prefer being called “boys” when they over over 30 years old, but that’s neither here nor there… Anyway, my husband is so lucky because I make him lots of meat, but every now and then I fool him by saying I’m making “burgers” and then I serve him something like this. And he can’t lie about how much he loves it because his plate is clean in about 4 seconds.

I actually made these for 3 of my favorite meat lovin’ boys to rave reviews! It almost tastes like pizza in a burger. The unmistakable sun-dried tomatoes give tons of flavor to the beans, and the basil adds a perfectly light freshness. I actually thought these were going to be a disaster. I kept staring at them thinking “They look soooo dry! What did I do wrong???” But looks can be deceiving because the texture was spot on–slightly crispy on the outside, and perfectly tender and that word that I hate (you know the one) on the inside.

I topped mine with fresh greens, sliced tomatoes, pesto and a little fresh mozzarella cheese. Obviously if you’re vegan, you’ll want to leave off the pesto and cheese, or find a vegan variety. I could have lived without the cheese, but the pesto definitely adds a special something, so I highly recommend finding one within your eating preferences.

Place about 3/4 of the beans (eyeball it), onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper in your food processor. Blend for 30-45 seconds until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in almond meal and remaining beans.

Heat olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Form mixture into 6 patties and carefully transfer to the skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom is browned and set. Very carefully flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes until the opposite side is browned and set as well. Serve immediately, or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

These healthy, vegan and gluten-free chipotle black bean burgers are so full of flavor they will knock the socks off any meat burger!

Do you guys have those foods that you ALWAYS order if they are on the menu? I sit down at a restaurant, scan the menu for goat cheese and sweet potatoes, and then if it’s a burger type place, I always look for a black bean burger.

I also spend lots of money on those frozen black bean burgers. I eat them as a burger, I crumble them up and put them on a salad. They are versatile, and delicious, but I much prefer to create my own food, and not spend tons of money of frozen goods.

I’ve been wanting to create my own black bean burgers for, well, ever. In fact, I honestly can’t believe I didn’t make them sooner. They were super simple, and the whole process only took about 30 minutes. Not to mention the batch makes several, so I was able to have them in salads and in my scrambled eggs (it was delicious) for almost a week.

The only tricky part is the flipping. Black bean burgers are very delicate, and if you flip too soon, or aren’t careful, you will end up with a big mess on your hands. I also had a lot of black bean mush left over. It took me a few times to get it right. I’m not the most patient person, and I didn’t even think to handle them with extra care. Once I did, they came out perfectly!

The secret ingredient (or not so secret since it’s in the title…) in these babies are the chipotles in adobo sauce. Would you believe I’ve never bought them/eaten them before? I see them in all sorts of recipes, and people are always raving about them, but for some reason, I had never used them. They added so much spice and flavor! I can’t wait to use them in 5 billion more recipes!

I topped mine with roasted red pepper (check out those char marks!! mmmmm) and fresh avocado slices. I love them with goat cheese too, but of course that makes it no longer vegan. The pan frying provides the perfect crispy outside, and soft, but not mushy inside. They are spicy and bold, and will easily become one of your go-to meals!

These healthy, vegan and gluten-free chipotle black bean burgers are so full of flavor they will knock the socks off any meat burger!

Ingredients

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons cumin

pinch salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

handful fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon sriracha

1/2 cup rolled oats (use gluten-free if that's important to you)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Place half the black beans, onion and garlic in your food processor. Blend for 20-30 seconds until combined. Add chipotle, cumin, salt, cornstarch, cilantro, and sriracha. Blend for an other 10-20 seconds. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in oats and remaining black beans.

Heat olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Form mixture into patties and carefully transfer to the skillet. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the bottom is browned and set. Very carefully flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes until the opposite side is browned and set as well. Serve immediately, or store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Once upon a time, ranch dressing was my food of choice. Have I ever mentioned my undying love for french fries dipped in ranch? I actually used to eat cheese fries dipped in ranch. From Denny’s. Clearly, I’ve always been an example of clean, intuitive eating. What body doesn’t need cheese fries dipped in ranch?!?! Freaks. Weirdos. Crazies.

You know what else ranch is delicious on? Pizza. Is that weird? Maybe. I swear, unless it was ice cream, I put ranch on it. Ice cream is good enough on its own, I guess. Actually, it’s probably the only food I loved more than ranch and cheese. Mmmmmmmm, ice cream. Okay, but seriously. Burger. Barbecue. Bacon. Ranch. Heaven. Just like you’d find at any burger joint.

Only, you know, more delicious. And minus the side of heart attack 😉

This is one of my favorite ways to cook. Taking my favorite meals from my unhealthier days, and turning them into something equally (and often more) delicious that I can feel good about enjoying! I spent a long time thinking that eating healthy meant I had to give up everything I loved, and that healthy food would be gross, and unsatisfying, but I have proven myself wrong time, and time again. These burgers are no exception–they taste like comfort food, and leave you feeling energized, rather than weighed down. Perfect for summer!

So I’ve been really mad that it’s summer time. Lots of whining and complaining about the heat, and how it affects my running, and blah blah blah. But I forgot how much I LOVE some things about summer! Like burgers!

And swimming!

Tuesday evening, Jason came over with my dog niece and nephew, and we seriously had the best time playing around outside with the puppies. They got so hyped up about the pool!

Nico and Winston have a love connection. They will play for hours on end.

Every time Jason was in the pool and would make eye contact with Nico, she would immediately go crazy and start barking, and then all the other dogs would start going crazy too.

Clementine is hiding under the chair. She wants to play, but she’s scared. It’s hard to be a Clementine.

Anyway, before all the fun dog playing, there were seriously amazing, delicious burgers.

Made with extra lean ground turkey, and homemade Thai peanut sauce.

Savory and spicy, with just a hint of sweetness.

Have I ever mentioned how much I also love Thai food? Give me some take out Chicken Pad Thai with extra cilantro, and I am a happy girl. I used to eat it all the time because someone told me Thai food was healthy once. Now, I figure out my own ways to use the flavors that are actually healthy, and not 7 servings of noodles 😉

Also, if you are one of those people who loves a beef burger, and thinks turkey burger are dry and gross (ahem…Steve), try these turkey burgers. I haven’t always loved the ones I’ve made at home (why do they never seem to turn out like the one at Zin Burger??), but I absolutely freaking love these. Like I can’t wait to make them every day for the rest of the summer my life kind of love.

Thoroughly combine turkey mixture and sauce (I recommend getting in there with your hands!), and form into 5 even patties. Press lightly in the center of each patty with your thumb, so they are slightly thicker on the edges to ensure even cooking.

Send your husband outside to Grill until cooked throughout (approx 5 minutes per side). Meanwhile, add Greek yogurt and Sriracha to leftover peanut sauce, and mix until well combined.

Sorry this is so late! Life has been crazy. Yesterday I barely spent any time at home, and that time was spent choreographing and getting the pumpkin spice latte cupcakes up! Anyway, Sunday was a pretty amazing day, and in addition to all the food pictures, Steve took lots of pictures of the family

Like mother, like daughter 🙂

We even finally got one together!

I love my children!

Me & Jasy

But mom, when do I get a burger?

Onto the food! I guess I’ve been in a Rachael Ray kick lately. Next week I will have to open a different cook book. These burgers turned out pretty spectacular. At the end of the dinner everyone was like “Well this wasn’t the ‘skinnified’ part, right?” Ohhhhh yes it was! Here we go…

Original Recipe:

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

10 slices smoky bacon, 2 of them chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

3/4 pound ground chuck

3/4 pound ground sirloin

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and ground black pepper

A few hearty glugs stout beer, such as Guinness, half a bottle

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

3 tablespoons grainy mustard

1/2 pound sharp white aged cheddar, sliced

8 leaves red lead lettuce or red leaf romaine

1 red onion, sliced

4 Kaiser rolls or crusty rolls, split open

My Swaps:

I made 1.5 of the recipe because I was cooking for 6 instead of 4. We’re popular 🙂 (+fun!)